Episode 4

This episode presents itself as The Shopping Episode. Most the shopping scenes that come to mind from film and television usually involved a specific montage. This montage would include shots of expensive and cute things in shop windows, the two characters pointing and giggling at those material items, gleefully rushing into the store, and countless shots of walking in uncomfortable looking shoes. My favourite (as in the most annoying) part of these token shopping sequences is the characters walking out of the changing room several times over in a new outfit, and dancing around to show it off.

This episode cut out the shopping all together. No shoes, no store windows, and no change-room curtains. It’s a neat break from the shopping sequence stereotype, making it less about material possessions and more about Ona and Sera. The initial montage of the two is short, and showcases the lovely streets of Toronto. The montage ends with a shot of an anonymous couple in the background holding hands. Quite fitting to the romantic theme. We now get a lovely scene in a residential neighbourhood. The setting is perfect, and rather picturesque. The whole episode consists of exterior scenes, with saturated fall colours and the sound of leaves crunching under our ladies’ feet. The soundtrack dies down, and the two have some witty dialogue. The natural light here must be noted, as it works beautifully. Often filmmakers need good timing and strong patience to work with natural light. The trick often is trying to guess the whims of how fast the light changes. In contrast to the previous montage the scene is made up of mostly of long takes. It brings the feeling of a stripped down scene, with the setting there’s no need for fancy editing, and it’s just the viewer and the characters. Since there are no distractions, you get to see Ona’s and Sera’s dynamic develop further. Anything that the viewer felt they missed out on in the lunch date (Ep. 2), they get here. The long shot is finally broken up after Ona suggests they go for pie. Apparently pie is Sera’s weakness, and Ona says she’ll use it to her advantage. Then, a Freudian slip! Sera says that Ona doesn’t need pie bribery. Here the score comes in, just as Sera catches her slip. The music cue transitions the tone from cute to comedic. The two start to mumble, and desperately peddle through what may have sounded like romantic interest. The two peddle rather hard making their feelings for each other even more obvious. Anyone who has been in this situation can relate. Those moments where you feel like your ears are turning red come to mind. This peddling becomes even more comedic when the word ‘friends’ is thrown out repeatedly. The chemistry intensifies. They both take a breath and compose themselves. Goodbyes are said, and then Ona pulls Sera into a hug. The two savour the moment finding comfort. It’s even a moment of escapism for Sera and Ona, as if the whole world could disappear.